Ohio lawmakers want to ban bestiality

COLUMBUS – Only a dozen states allow people to have sex with animals, but Ohio is one of them.

Bestiality isn’t banned under Ohio law, but Sen. Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, and Sen. Jim Hughes, R-Upper Arlington, want to change that. Their proposal would make bestiality a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by 90 days in jail and a $750 fine.

“There’s a problem with part of the underbelly of our society,” Hottinger said. “We should move forward to make sure it’s not behavior that is acceptable in the state of Ohio.”

How big of a problem is bestiality? Ohioans might be surprised, Hottinger said.

A significant number of advertisements online show Ohio residents seek animals for sex, Hottinger said. In 2011, a Shelby man was convicted of animal cruelty for having sex with his dog. This fall, a New London man was accused of having sex with his animals.

These offenders can be charged with animal cruelty but aren’t punished for having sex with animals, said Mary O’Connor-Shaver, a steering committee member with Ohio Voters for Companion Animals. Other states, including Kentucky and West Virginia, don't ban the practice, making it difficult to prosecute.

“We don’t prosecute these cases, because it’s so difficult to prosecute under Ohio law,” O’Connor-Shaver said.

Under the proposed changes, sexually abused animals could be removed from the care of suspected offenders and those convicted of bestiality could be ordered to take a psychological exam. Research shows abuse of animals can lead to abuse of humans.

But animal advocates want the bestiality ban to punish offenders more seriously. They would increase the crime to a first-degree misdemeanor and the possibility of a felony offense for repeat offenders. Also, judges should be able to ban offenders from owning animals permanently, O’Connor-Shaver said.

Hottinger and Hughes had hoped to add a ban on bestiality into the state budget passed last June. Neither lawmaker wanted the attention that the troubling offense would generate. But the proposal didn’t make the cut.

“It’s just a disturbing topic that some people would rather not talk about,” Hottinger said. "No one is supporting or condoning bestiality in the General Assembly."

Hughes and Sen. Kris Jordan, R-Ostrander, have tried unsuccessfully in the past to make bestiality illegal, but proposals haven't gone far. Still, Hottinger said he’s optimistic lawmakers will ban the activity. The bill, which had a committee hearing on Wednesday, has not received any opposition.